RWANDA ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION

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1 PROGRESSIVE REPORT FOR RAPID PLANNING ENTRY PROJECT I. Workshops I.1. Layout and details spatial planning This activity was carried out at the same time with start up of the project at Biryogo Primary School. On 29 th of February, the team composed of Christin from, Ingborg, Caleb, Juliane and Sylvia from Rapid planning; Patrick and Marius from Biryogo Primary school; Canisius from Agatare Community and Ernest from RECOR participated in layout and details spatial planning and measuring of the school yard of Biryogo Primary school. The objective of the workshop was to identify infrastructures and physical problems that Biryogo Primary school is facing and propose possible sustainable solutions. Among the problems identified, the prominent one is soil erosion resulting to high slopes and lack of soil erosion infrastructures. In identification of the problem, the team started with a presentation of the school on a map and tried to understand what the use of each building of the school is. The Accountant Secretary of the school presented the use of the rooms from the entrance up to the office; participants noted the information further went outside to observe what are available infrastructures, problems and possible sustainable solutions. The participants came back for a plenary session where everybody presented what he/she saw and propose what to do for resolving the problem. The most prominent problem was the soil erosion flooding schools located at bottom of the school. The participants proposed soil erosion control measures including making and planting vetiver grasses on contour lines as well as greening the school by planting pasparum grasses. Many designs of the pathways and green space were discussed, however the participants agreed on maintaining and improving the existing pathways. Spatial planning for the school Proposed solutions

2 I.2. Practical training of making vetiver slips, transport of slips and plantation On 1 st of March 2014, the team composed of Rapid planning, RECOR and community representatives participated in practical training of making vetiver slips, transport of slips and plantation. The training was held in Kabuga where vetiver supplier (Mr Damascene ) is based. The training was facilitated by Mr Caleb, the vetiver expert and Christin from Rapid planning. The trainee was Mr Sehene Jean Chrysostome and Mr Bucyayungura Ernest from RECOR, Mr Canisius and Damascene from Community. The training was about vetiver slips making and preparation, planting and contourlines making techniques. The trainer demonstrated how to uproot vetiver, to make slips and preparation of slips before planting and vetiver plants aligning on contour lines. He insisted on techniques of making contourlines techniques consisting on fabrication and use of of a A- frame and T frame. Vetiver cutting and uprooting Vetiver slips making I.3. Exchange on potential future ideas on permaculture/composting/food forest/school garden On 02/03/2016, the above said team from Rapid Planning, School and community representative participated in a workshop on exchange on future ideas on permaculture at Biryogo Primary school. The idea behind this workshop was to set up activities that shall be implemented at school without harming the existing physical environment. The team concentrated on designing walk ways and school garden. At this workshop, contour lines were marked and some ideas on what type of grasses and trees to be planted identified. Vetiver and pasparum grasses are to be planted for soil erosion control and Tyre steps constructed in walk ways. In addition, the design of handwashing stations and rain water harvesting were identified. The proposed hand washing station should be adjacent to water tank and connected to over flow as shown in the picture below. The rain water harvesting system should have first flash system to evacuate dirty water from the first rain.

3 Design of hand washing stations Water tanks with first flashing system I.4. Spatial planning for the school, contour lines making and looking for proforma invoices On 3 rd of March, together with Christin from Rapid Planning and Canisius from community, we exchanged on school yard landscaping and at the same time supervising the contour lines making at school. Unskilled labor was hired to perform the work of contour lines marking and gathering pegs from the existing trees at school. Marking contour-lines Spatial planning with community and school representatives The worshop recommended that the vetiver grasses should be planted on contour lines and alongside walk ways in soils instead of planting vetiver grasses in sisal bags. This is to avoid loose of moisture in the sisal bags in the dry season which can affect vetiver grasses growth. In addition, the workshop also decided to use old tyres to improve the walk ways at the school. A map showing the infrastructures layout at the school was produced and handed to the Programs coordinator of RECOR.

4 I.5. Testing sand for filter box, procurement of materials (Sand, vetiver, stones and gravel) and making contour lines and landscape planning The grey water treatment specialist Mrs Ingborg Joost trained the community representative and the member of RECOR staff on sand selection. The sand selection consisted on determining if the quality of the sand available is suitable to making the filter. The process starts with sand measuring and sieving for determining the quantity of the sand which is above 0,6 0,4; 0,2 and the finest one which can be considered as dust. The exercise proved that the quality of the sand we have at the site is good. Sand sieves used to sort out sand Testing sand This activity was implemented hand in hand with procurement of materials including sand, gravel, vetiver grasses and stones. At the same time, the accountant was in the process of acquiring tanks and hardware materials. The procured materials are : 4.8 Cubic meters of sand, 4.8 Cubic meters of gravel and 4.8 Cubic meters of stones; and 4000 vetiver slips were received from the supplier. I.6. Workshop on grey water treatment, design and vetiver planting The following day on 9 th of March, a larger group was convened to participate in a workshop in grey water treatment. The invitee included rapid planning country director, Representative of the city of Kigali, the representative of Nyarugenge district, school and community representative. The workshop was facilitated by Rapid planning team composed of Juliane, Ingborg and Christin. The participants discussed on grey water treatment techniques and asked some questions including how does bacteria work in waste water treatment. The workshop was ended by showcasing the filtration system using sand and gravel.

5 Participants in the workshop Hints on testing the quality of sand After the workshop and quality testing exercise, the grey water treatment expert left some of the material to easy the testing next time. The left materials to RECOR are a set of sand sieves, tubes and stands for the tubes. All of the materials are still kept at the schools and will be handed to RECOR store keeper after installation of the grey water treatment boxes at school and community level. I.7. Grey water treatment design and vetiver planting To make sure that the purchased materials meet the required standards and fittings are appropriate, the plumber was called to review the materials. He came and tried to fit the materials hence recommended to use the available materials. Here below are some materials to be used as filters and the fittings. Testing the fittings of sand filters Sand filters fitting with measurement At the same day, the procurement of materials including tanks were going on and planting of vetiver grasses on contour lines continued.

6 II. ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES II.1. Vetiver planting on contour lines Vetiver grasses were supplied by Cooperative Twisungane Kiradiha, at the first round the cooperative supplied 5600 slips planted in the upper part of the school yard and alongside the vertical walkways. To facilitate a quick growth, cow dung and manure were ordered from the partner cooperative in the wetland adjacent to the school and a part of the manure (one ton) was provided COPED free of charge. Plantation of vetiver grass Vetiver grasses started fixing roots II.2. Rainwater harvesting The school had a rainwater harvesting system but due to lack of maintenance water was not going into the tank abundantly. The rain water harvesting comprised two subactivities which consisted of upgrading the existing rainwater harvesting and installing a new one. The upgrading of the existing rainwater harvesting was about increasing the rainwater collection area, cleaning the installed gutters, reopening the overflow pipe and connecting the first flush system. A nine meters gutter was installed to increase the quantity of water channeled to the tank. The installation of a new rain water harvesting had four components, the first consisted of purchasing a 5000 cubic meters water tank, second was building the basement, third installation of gutters and last was to connect the tank to the gutters using pipes. The gutters cover a length of 30 meters of the roof of the upper bloc of classrooms. The installed tank is now full of water, it will be used in watering vetiver grasses and also for hand washing.

7 New rainwater harvesting system Improved existing rainwater harvesting system II.3. Improving walkways The school is located at a high slope hill, the steep accelerate the speed of water and cause soil erosion especially downhill of the school. After consultation with various stakeholders, putting in place the tire steps was the solution to reduce the speed and the quantity of water damaging the walk ways. In addition, some curved channels should be dug in the walkways to reduce the quantity of runoff in the walk ways. For stabilizing the sides of the tires, plastic bags filled with soils (like rice bags) should be posed alongside the tires to stop quantity of water that may erode tires. RECOR purchased 100 tires and of them 78 have been used to improve the walkways. The upper part was really the target to reduce the erosion. Tyre steps on sloppy hill at school Tyre steps in front of classrooms

8 Vetiver grasses were planted alongside the walk ways at the upper part of the schools III. Conclusion and Recommendations The engineering activities focused much on the upper part of the school yard to reduce its vulnerability to soil erosion. However, the activities implemented requires combination with other initiatives like digging trenches in the walkways and putting bags filled with soils alongside the tire steps for reducing considerably the amount of runoff. This should go hand in hand with sensitization of pupils and teachers on maintenance of the vetiver grasses, otherwise, the grasses will not grow due to regular step on by pupils. Some other initiatives discussed during the meetings should also be enforced for a better maintenance of vetiver grasses and other activities implemented by RECOR teachers should be chosen to spearhead protection of the grasses and trees, 2. The school compound should be divided into plots bearing names of hills, rivers and touristic areas of Rwanda and each teacher among the seven should be in charge of one of the plots. Each teacher responsible should report twice a week to the headmistress about the progress in conservation of the green space, 3. Some soils should be imported to level the walk ways 4. Water in the walk ways should be diverted by trenches and channeled to green space for reducing the runoff 5. To prevent floods in the down schools, RECOR will channel the water to the canals if possible pave the waterways. 6. The remaining tires should be used to make steps from the Office downward to the nursery school 7. Enough water should be reserved for watering vetiver grasses in case of shortage rain Done at Kigali, 25 th April 2016 BUCYAYUNGURA Ernest Programs Coordinator of RECOR